Washing machine



Nov. 13, 1951 1 J. BARNES 2,575,039

WASHING MACHINE Filed Aug. 9, 1949 Y 2 SHEETS-SHEET l JHN BARNES J. BARNES WASHING MACHINE Nov. 13, 1951 Filed Aug. 9, 1949 INVENTOR. JOHN BARNES HT'TQREY,

Patented Nov. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WASHING MACHINE John Barnes, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application August 9, 1949, Serial No. 109,358

4 Claims. l

My invention relates to Washing Machines and more particularly to a machine that is adaptable to laundering and dry cleaning of garments or linens by means of agitation formed by the introduction of compressed air.

In my application for a patent led under date of August 9, 1949, Serial No. 109,357 for Washing Machines I employ compressed air in the process of agitating the garments and circulating the water to remove the extraneous matter,A from the garments.

The object of this invention is to provide a means of agitating the clothes and water by means of air and to provide a tossing motion of the clothes so that the soap or cleaning chemicals are brought in contact with all the garments or linens suspended in the solution to remove all dirt and foreign matter due to the contact and rubbing of the garments against one another, to intermittently reverse the cycle of agitation by reversing the introduction of the air thus preventing the tangling of the garments, and to provide a means of extracting the excess moisture from the garments after the washing or cleaning operation is completed.

Many other objects of my invention will manifest themselves as the description proceeds when taken into consideration with the drawings forming apart of the description, and in which:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of the assembled device shown as a vertically disposed cylindrical unit.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the device as shown in Figure l, taken at the line 2-2 there- Figure 3 is a perspective outer view of the device.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views and referring now to the same, the character I shows an outer shell which is open at its top, and having its opening smaller than the diameter of the body of the shell. The opening at the top of the shell I0 is provided with a cover shown as II which is hingedly attached to the outer shell I0 at 35. The entire unit rests on a base shown as I2 and the outer peripheral surface of the outer shell I0 is shown provided with two vertical enclosures indicated by the characters I3 and I3'. and which act as enclosing means for the supply pipes and the like, leading from a lower compartment I4 which acts as an enclosure for the mechanically operated units used in actuating the device.

The outer shell is provided with a4 drain I5 at its bottom and this drain I5 is equipped with a valve I6 used to either open or close the flow of liquid through the drain I5. There is a hot water supply tube I1 equipped with a valve I8 and a cold water water supply tube shown as I9 equipped with a valve 20. These two tubes I1 and I9 obviously lead from a source of water supply and permit the outer shell I0 to be filled with water at any predetermined temperature.

Disposed within the inside of the outer shell I0 is an inner receptacle 2| which is also open at the top and which is mounted to a vertical shaft 22 by means of a key 23. The vertical shaft 22 is journaled in bearings 24 at the bottom of the outer shell I0 and in a bearing 25 at the bottom of the lower compartment |4. The receptacle 2| is supported by means of a thrust bearing and a bearing which is enclosed by means of a stuffing nut 21 having a Washer 28. The receptacle 2| is provided with apertures 29 through its side walls and apertures 30 in its bottom plate.

Encircling the outer peripheral surface of the receptacle 2| and spaced away from it by spacers 3| is a shell 32 which is shown open at' its lower end 33 and closed at its upper end 34. This outer shell 32 covers the apertures 29 in the side walls of the receptacle 2| and is spaced therefrom by means of the spacers 3| as shown.

The cover I I which is hinged to the outer shell |0 at 35 is provided with an inwardly extending flange 36 and is also provided with vents shown as 31. Obviously, any number of vents may be employed and they may be of any type that will efficiently function for the purpose. There is at the top of the cover an upwardly extending integral member 38 threaded for engagement with a screw shown as 39. equipped with a handle member 40. The screw 39 is arrang-ed to support a perforated plate 4| which is provided with apertures 42 and supported by means of a housing 43 which encases a tearing 44 and acts as a support for the upper end of the shaft 22 when the cover is closed bringing the plate 4| in contact with the top edge of the receptacle 2| at 45 thereby forming a sup port for the bearing 44 while the entire inner receptacle 2| is revolved at high speed by means of the driven pulley 46 shown attached to the vertical shaft 22 by means of the key 41. This pulley 46 is revolved by means of a belt 50 disposed over a drive pulley 49 which is mounted on the shaft of the motor shown as 48.

There is an air compressor or blower 5| driven by a motor 52 incased within the compartment I4 below the outer shell I0. This compressor 5| has an outlet 53 leading to a supply pipe 54 pro- This screw 39 isg vided with a valve 55. This supply pipe 54 leads to a tubular member 55 which encircles the outer periphery of the shell l2 and is spaced midway between the shell 32 and the inner face of the outer shell I Il. The tubular member 55 has perforations or apertures 51 through its walls. There is another supply pipe 58 equipped with a valve 59 leading from the outlet 53. The supply pipe 58 leads to a tubular member 60 which encircles the' shaft 22 and the thrust bearing below the bottom plate of the inner receptacle 2 I. This tubular member 50 is also equipped with a plurality of apertures 6I through its upper wall.

The inner surface of` the outer shell I is equipped with a moat 52 extending around a portion of its inner periphery. This moat is provided with a drain tube 53 having a valve 64. The tube 63 leads into the drain I5 extending from the bottom outlet of the outer shell I0.

In operating the device it is obviously necessary to close all valves, open the cover I I which automatically raises the perforated plate 4I on the inner receptacle 2|, put the clothes to be laundered within the receptacle 2 I, close the cover II which will automatically center the plate 4I at 45, and by fastening the screw 39 by means or th hanane 4o n; will align the bearing u on the shaft 22. It is then necessary to open the valve 20 which permits cold water to enter through the tubular member I9, and by placing enough water into the outer shell I0 to bring the water level near to the top of the receptacle 2|. The valve is then closed, the motor 52 is started which operates the compressor 5I, and by opening the valve 55, the air will be forced upward through the apertures 51 in the tubular member 55 and will cause the circulation of the water upward into theports 42 of the perforated plate 4| and out of the apertures 30 in the bottom plate of the receptacle 2| causing an upward circulation between the outer peripheral edge of the shell 32 and the inner face of the outer shell III. By closing the valve 55 and opening the valve 59 it will cause the air to be forced upward through the apertures 6| Ain the perforated tubes 60 reversing the ow from the inside of the receptacle 2| to the space between the shell 32 and the inner wall of the outer shell III. The motor 52 is now stopped and the valve 20 may be opened for hot water after the soapy film has been forced over the moat 62 and drained through the valves I6 and 64. It is then necessary to close all valves again and repeat the operation by opening the valve I8 through the hot water supply II and repeating the circular motion by alternating the valves 55 and 59. After the valves 55 and 59 -are closed the hot water is again drained through the port I 5 by opening the valve I5 and by starting the motor 48 it would cause the receptacle 2| to revolve thereby extracting the surplus moisture through the apertures 29 to the drain I5. When the revolving of the extracting drumor receptacle 2| is stopped'the cover I can then be opened and the clothes removed.

Having thus explained the nature of my invention and described a way ofv constructing and' using same without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be constructed, or all of the modes of its use, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent inthe United States is 1. A device of the character described comprising, an outer shell, said outer shell open at its upper end. a. perforated inner shell, an auxiliary shell encircling the outer periphery of said inner shell, said auxiliary shell spaced away from the surface of said inner shell, said auxiliary shell closed at the top and open at its lower end, the top being. attached to the peripheral surface of the perforated inner shell said inner shell open at its upper end the open top of said inner shell being below the top of said outer shell, a cover for said`outer and inner shell said covers attached to one another and disposed in parallel relation to one another. the cover of said inner shell being perforated. a vertical shaft supported by the cover of said inner shell and the bottom of said outer shell, means for revolving said inner shell, said outer shell provided with an inlet and outlet port for liquid, a perforated tubular member disposed between said inner and outer shell, a perforated tubular member disposed below the perforated bottom of said inner shell, and means for supplying air to said perforated members.

2. A device of the character described comprising an outer shell open at its top, a cover for the open end of said outer shell, said cover provided With Ventilating means, a base supporting said outer shell, said outer shell provided with inlet and outlet ports for liquid, an inner receptacle open at its top, the top of said inner receptacle being below the top of said outer shell a inner receptacle adjustably supported by the cover of said outer shell, the inner receptacle attached to said vertical shaft by bearings disposed within said receptacle cover and the bottom of said outer shell for supporting said shaft, another shell surrounding the periphery of said inner receptacle and spaced therefrom, said other shell closed at the topagainst the periphery of said receptacle, and open at its lower end. a perforated tubular member extending around said other shell between said shell and the inner face of said outer shell, a perforated tubular member extending around said shaft below said inner receptacle, driving means for rotating said shaft and the inner receptacle mounted thereon, an air compressor, a driving means for said compressor, tubular means connecting said compressor with said perforated tubular members, and valves in all of said inlet and outlet ports and tubular members leading to said perforated members, for controlling the flow of water and air.

3. A device of the character described in claim 2 having an inwardly projecting moat around the part of the inside periphery of said outer shell and an outlet to said moat controlled by a valve.

4. A device of the character described comprising an outer shell open at its top, a cover supported by said outer shell at its open end. Ventilating means disposed within said cover, a compartment disposed below said outer shell, a base supporting said compartment and outer shell, said outer shell provided with inlet and outlet ports, an inner receptacle, open at its top, said inner receptacle perforated at its side and bottom, a vertical shaft extending centrally through said receptacle, said inner receptacle provided with a perforated cover, the cover for said inner receptacle adjustably supported by the cover of said outer shell, said inner receptacle attached to said vertical shaft by bearings disposed within said receptacle cover and the bottom of the outer shell for supporting said shaft, another shell surrounding the periphery of said 5 inner receptacle and spaced away from the outer periphery of said inner receptacle, said shell closed at its top against the periphery of said receptacle and open at its lower end, a perforated tubular member extending around the shell between said other shell and the inner face of-said outer shell, a perforated tubular member extending around said shaft, below said inner receptacle, a driving means for rotating said shaft and inner receptacle, an air compressor, a driving means for said compressor, said driving means and said compressor disposed within said compartment below said outer shell, tubular members connecting said compressor with said perforated tubular members. and valves arranged within ail w of said inlet and outlet porta and tubular mem bers leading to said perforated members, for control of the flow of water and air.

JOHN

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record im the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 415,191 Drown Nov. 19, 18 446,572 Proctor et al. Feb. 17. 189i 1,715,282 Dunham y 28. l 

